Steering wheel spinner knob



B H. c. RIEIMANN 2,475,858

STEERING WHEEL SPINNER KNOB Filed April 4, 1947 Fuel/i.

A-r-rdawzvs Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STAT ES OFF lC-E STEERING. WHEEL SRI'NN'ER KNOB lilowarolifii Riemann, West Allis; .Vtiisy,i,assignorrtinv 'ii heil ulton Goinpany; West Allis; Wis a; com: notation of-Wisconsin Application April' l, 1947i S'erialNo; 739:275:

(CL 74--5s5-7. )r

4 Claims. 1

My present: invention relates ingeneral'to immovements in devices for facilitating controlled guidance ofi vehicles: of various types, and relatesrnore pastlcul'a'rlytov improvements in the construction: of vehicle steering wheel spinner knobs ortheilik-ei The; primary: obj ect: of? the present invention is to provide an improved spinner knob assemblage for vehicle steering wheels: or the like, which is simple an'ol': durable" in construction and efficient in operation;

Variousa' styles of sol-called spinner knobsadapteclrto: b'e: applied' to' the steering wheels of automobiles and: other vehicles, inorder to facilitate rapidirotationfofthese steering wheels while controlling the direction of travel of thewehicles, have heretofore: been: utilized" quite extensively. Among these prior-devices there are some having gripping: knobs of. approximately circular forma-- tion, while others: arefi shaped in order to afiord more positive gripping and" to prevent slippage, and in practically all offi the modern assemblages the knobs areformed of attnactiveplastic molded into. ornamental shapes; Most of" these plastic gripping; knobs consist of a lower or'hub s'ect'ion having a 1 journal bearing confinedltherein for 00- action with. a pivot post ad'apted to: be secured' to the steering wheel: rim, and" an upper or closure section-i cementedto'the: top of the hub section; along a horizontal joint, after the bearingin the lower section has been properly assembledand attached to the" upper extremity of the post through; the openlupperen'cl: ofthe hub section. While. this mode of? constructing and uniting theknobsections;greatly-facilitates:assembly of the spinner units; it: has been founddifficult to prevent? off=setting ot'the' joints when applying elongatedelliptica'ltclosure sections; to the similarly formed: tops" of:'tl rerhubz sections of the T'-shaped knobs; unless great care. was exercised: and considerabletime: was devoted tothe task.

It is: therefore. a more specific object, of my present invention to: provide an" improved IT'- shaped; sectional spinner: knobs the:- interior of which; is; conveniently: accessible: ion; facilitatingassembly of the: bearing; and? pivot-(post; andf whenein: the: sections: arei adaptedz to; be q ickly and; firmly unitea-toproduce asmoo h -end hi hly finished finalappearance;

Anothenobject of this; invention: is; toproviele an improved; spinner knob assemblage: embodying a T-shaped, grippingknob, which isesimple anddurableyin construction andiwhicl'l'may:- also lee-manufactured at; moderate? cosh;

still: another" obj 610i? of:v the inyentiomis to; pros vid'e animproved steering wheel spinning accessoryy. which may be constructed with different:

sections thereof. ornamentally colored soxas. to present an aestheticsappearance;- and in. which offsetting of." the meeting sectionss'durin-gi final the inventionshowing? an explodecl view of the) "t-shaped 'gripping lmqbt Fig; 2- is as similanviewntthe :same unit, but showing the sections; ofthe; 'l'z-shapeiiknob; finally: assembleaz'andiuniteth;

Flies 3; isv a; rear: elevation: ofithe samief: steering wheel spinner: uni-t hilly; assembledi:

Fig. 4 is a side view of the same unit also fully assembled and:

Fig; 5 is a: transverse section; through the inountingzbasevor bracket andzone; on the clamp Zing straps; the; section having: been: taken along:

Although-the: invention has? been-v shown; and

described: henein. as?- being advantageouslyapplicabletorspinner:knobiunits;especially-adapted for attachment. as accessories to; the: rimsv of, thesteering;' wheels of 'automobilesmr the: like; it. is

not olesireraon intention: to; unnecessarily limit the utility of: the-improvement bywvintue of this restricted: disclosure-i Retenring tosthe'clraw-ing the typical steering: wheel: spinner; unit shown. thereinsby; way, of: illustration; comprises in; genera-11w mounting base; orsupporting-bracket 61: having. a. pivot Spindle on stub shaft l: firmly secured toritsl medial} por-l tion: 8;: and. being"v provided on--opposite ends,

thereof remotelfrom theshait l with; 2110?; steering; wheel; nimagrippinerpadss3;: azrim clam-p1- ing; strap la associated; with the bracket, 6 between; each; on the: pads: 92' theacentral? shaft l: and; each liavingta fasteningscrew: H coacting therewith andiaiI -shaped: ripping'knob is ham ing a central hub sectiom Ht, providedawithza cen-' oral; hearing: bushingfior: sleeve:- I51: journalledg for fncerotation; upooirthershaitr 1,. anal aisoh vine two oppositely directed similar ovoid sections I6 ccoperable with openings I! in the opposite sides of the uppermost portion of the hub section I 4 to enclose the space at the upper ends of the shaft I and bearing sleeve I5.

The main mounting base or supporting bracket 6 is formed of sheet metal and the pivot shaft I has an integral lower portion I3 of reduced diameter which snugly fits alined holes in the medial bracket portion 8 and is firmly secured to the bottom plate of the bracket 6 by a spot weld I9, or other suitable fastening means. The end pads are formed integral with the bracket portion 8 and are adapted to clampingly engage one side of the rim 20 or of a spoke of the steering wheel at remotely spaced points or zones, while the resilient sheet metal straps II] engage the opposite side of the rim or spoke between these zones. Each of the straps I has overlapped outer and inner ends 2!, alined openings through which the attaching screws II extend; and the heads of these screws I I coact with the base bracket 6 while the threaded shanks thereof coact with nuts 23 secured to the inner strap ends 22, as clearly shown in Fig. i

5. When the screws II are tightened, they draw the straps if] and the pads 9 into firm clamping engagement with the intervening steering wheel rim 2'3 or spoke, in an obvious manner.

Th upper end of the stub shaft 1 is provided with an annular groove or recess 25 and the bearsleeve l which is preferably formed of compressed powdered iron or the like, extends from the top of the medial bracket portion 8 to the lower plane of the shaft recess 25. The sleeve 55 snugly but rotatably embraces the cylindrical portion of the shaft l between the supporting portion I8 and the recess 25, and this bushing sleeve I5 is held in position upon the pivot shaft J by a U-shaped leaf spring or resilient clip 26 sprung laterally into the recess 25. The bearing s1eeve I5 is sufficiently porous to retain lubricant for a long period of time, and is also provided with external anchoring pockets or projections 2'. for holding the bushing firmly within the hub section It of the T-shaped gripping knob I2.

As previously indicated, the gripping knob sections I4, I6 of the T-shaped knob l2 may be formed of durable and ornamental plastic or other suitable material, and the lower hub portion of the central knob section I 4 may be cast about and pressed against the bearing sleeve I5 so that the lugs 21 are embedded within the hub and will positively prevent relative displacement of the coacting parts. The upper portion of the central section I l of the knob I2 is hollow and is provided with alined annular tapered internal surfaces 29 adjoining the openings I'I therein, and the stub shaft i and bearing sleeve I5 project into this hollow portion or space, so that the recess 25 and the clip 26 which are normally confined in this space are freely accessible for assembly or dismantling through the large openings ll. The ovoid shaped closure sections I6 of the T-shaped knob I2 are provided with annular similarly tapered external surfaces 30 termihating in transverse annular abutment surfaces 3!, and these tapered closure section surfaces are adapted to snugly coact with the internal tapered surfaces of the hub section I 4 when the abutment surfaces are in engagement with the outer ends of the openings I'I.

When the several parts of the improved steering wheel spinner unit have-been properly con- 22 respectively, provided with v structed as above described, the knob supporting pivot shaft '5 of each assemblage may be rigidly attached to the main bracket 6 by applying a Weld IE or otherwise, after which the bearing sleeve I5 of a knob hub section I4 may be slipped over the upper shaft end so as to position both the top of the bearing and the upper end of the shaft within the hollow loop at the top of the section I 1. The shaft 7 and bearing sleeve I5 may then be finally assembled by inserting one of the U-shaped spring clips 26 within the upper shaft recess through the large openings I! as will be clearly apparent from Fig. l. Cement or other suitable adhesive may then be applied to the tapered surfaces 29, of the knob sections I4, l5 respectively, whereupon the cap or closure sections it may be applied as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 with the cap abutment surfaces 3| in snug engagement with the opposite ends of the loop of the medial section M.

In order to apply one of the improved spinner units to a steering Wheel rim 2!], the clamping straps as should be positioned about the rim with t r ends 2|, 22 overlapped and the nuts 23 secured to the inner ends 22, before the screws II have been applied. The screws II may subseduently be loosely applied to the strap ends and nuts 23 as depicted in Fig. 5, after which the bracket f3 may be properly positioned relative to the rim 2! and the screws I I should be tightened to (ruse the straps I I] and the bracket pads 9 to firmly clamp the spinner assembly to the steering wheel. The improved assemblage may obviously be applied either to the steering wheel rim 20, or to a spoke of the wheel, and the porous bearing sleeve I5 should preferably be lubricated before assembly is completed. The T- ed knob I2 will subsequently provide an effective easily graspable grip for manipulating the steering wheel as when backing into and when pulling out of cramped parking spaces.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons familiar with the art; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

I claim:

1. A steering wheel spinner unit comprising, a mounting bracket having a stub shaft projecting therefrom, a T-shaped gripping knob having a hub section journalled for rotation upon said shaft and provided with an integral loop-shaped portion remote from said bracket and having alined openings on the opposite sides thereof for gaining free access to the adjacent end of said shaft, and means accessible only through said openings for attachin said hub to said shaft, said knob also having closure sections extending into and normally sealing said openings.

2. In a steering wheel spinner unit, a supporting bracket having a pivot shaft projecting therefrom, a knob section having a hub journalled for rotation upon said shaft and also having an integral hollow portion adjacent to the free end of the shaft provided with a pair of alined lateral openings, means accessible only through said openings for attaching said hub section to said shaft within said hollow portion, and a closure section for each of said openings, each of said closure sections being provided with a tapered end portion snugly cooperable with a similarly formed internal surface of said hollow hub section.

3. In a steering wheel spinner unit, a supporting bracket havin a pivot shaft projecting therefrom and provided with an annular recess near its free end, a knob section having a hub journalled for rotation upon said shaft and also having an integral loop portion providing lateral openings at said shaft end recess, a spring clip coacting with said recess and said hub to retain 10 said knob section upon said shaft, said clip being freely accessible only through said openings, and a closure section secured to said knob section at each of said openings.

4. In a steering wheel spinner unit, a supporting bracket having a pivot shaft projecting therefrom and provided with an annular recess near its free end, a knob section having a hub journalled for rotation upon said shaft and also having an integral loop portion providing lateral 20 2,123 311 REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in file'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 141,293 Thorp- May 22, 1945 1,055,646 Mossberg Mar. 11, 1913 Sinko July 12, 1938 

